


Russian Roulette

by GallifreyanHeroine



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, down a dark hole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 05:03:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6039274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GallifreyanHeroine/pseuds/GallifreyanHeroine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You can see my heart beating, you can see it through my chest. I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving. Know that I must pass this test.</p><p>Soldiers, pull the trigger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As Alex walked into the BAU on her first day, she did her best to suppress the beaming smile she could feel working its way out. She’d been trying to get a position in this department for ages, and today was finally her day. She strode into the main area, avoiding the urge to smooth her hands over her dress slacks, and sat at her new desk. As the newest agent and the handler of the paperwork, she had a full plate even on her first day. A pile of casework already sat on her desk, and she set to work getting it sorted for the others.

“Hiya!” Alex jumped at the bubbly voice, turning to see a plump blonde with rather unique style above her desk. The woman was offering a hand, and Alex accepted it with a smile of her own. “I’m Penelope Garcia. I wanted to be the first to welcome you.”

“Thank you, Miss Garcia. I’m Alexis McLean.” Garcia grinned, nodding.

“Just Garcia works. It’s nice to meet you, Alexis.”

“Alex. The pleasure is mine.” Garcia seemed like a perfectly lovely lady, and Alex turned to face her fully. 

“Agent McLean.” An authoritative voice rang out across the area, and both heads turned to see a man with dark hair standing up by the offices. He wore a crisp black suit, and was looking down at them with a stern expression. Garcia seemed to disappear as Alex stood, this time taking the moment to smooch her dark pants. She swallowed her nerves as she strode up towards the man and his office, taking a seat in one of his chairs and swiping a strand of her honey blonde hair behind her ear. “Agent McLean, I’m SSA Aaron Hotchner. I wanted to welcome you to the team.” Despite his stern demeanor, he gave off an air of trustworthiness about him. He sat behind his desk; she gave a hesitant smile and offered a hand.

“It’s lovely to be here, sir.” He took her hand, giving a firm shake.

“Well, let’s get on today’s case, and we’ll see if that’s still the case.” With that, he had her back at her desk to complete the task. One by one, the other team members filed in, and she got to know each as much as one could in the span of a few minutes. When it came time to gather the team, she was ready with another blonde who called herself JJ, handing out the case files and sitting towards the back of the room. She stayed quiet through the briefing and through loading onto their plane. Once she was on, she felt like she was new in high school all over again. If there was an adult equivalent to the new kid in the lunch room, it had to be this. Hesitantly, she took a seat in one of the chairs, tucking her bag at her feet and pulling out her laptop. Any hope that she wouldn’t be in the way was lost when Morgan sat next to her.

“Hey, new girl.” In the short time that she’d come to understand him, she’d found he had a habit of using interesting nicknames with people. She gave a small smile and a nod. “You looked a little lost, so I figured I’d keep you company. Relief washed over her, and it must have been obvious in her green eyes. He gave a laugh, clapping a hand on her shoulder. “Good to see I’m welcome.” And on the course of that plane ride, Alex found herself becoming fast friends with Derek Morgan.


	2. Chapter 2

Her first case had been heavier than she would care to admit to her new teammates. Working anti-terror, she’d seen her fair share of the cruelty of humanity, but this unsub had taken it to a whole new level. Even now, a week later, the mental images of the crime scene haunted her. The idea that anyone could take joy out of the act of torturing someone was one she was familiar with, but it didn’t make it easier. Alex focused on the paperwork in front of her, working hard to keep her mind off of what would happen if they were called on another case.

“Hey sugarplum.” Garcia stopped by her desk as she did every day now. If Alex hadn’t known better, she would have sworn the other blonde could sense how badly Alex felt. “It’s girls’ night tonight. Got any plans?” Alex shook her head, a small smile forming at the idea of a true distraction. Garcia certainly seemed excited enough as she swiped a stack of post it notes from Alex’s desk and scribbling something down. “This is the bar we normally meet at. Seven tonight.” Alex took the name of the bar, standing to give the other woman a hug.

“Thanks, Garcia.” The team had certainly been welcoming, but none so as much as Garcia. It was a welcome reprieve from the dark turn her thoughts had taken earlier. The other woman patted Alex’s back before pulling away.

“Derek said you seemed a bit down. I just wanted to help.” Though the woman’s voice was lowered, Alex still let her gaze dart around to see if anyone noticed. “Oh, hun, you work with profilers. It’s impossible to hide anything from them.” Alex gave a chuckle and nodded, pocketing the post it.

“Thanks again. I’ll try to remember that.” Garcia nodded and left, as Alex turned to finish her paperwork. The next shadow to cross her desk was Hotch himself, two folders in hand. “Agent Hotchner, was there something you needed?” He nodded, setting the folders on her desk.

“I was hoping you could go over these files before you left today. Just want to make sure they’re in order.” She gave him a smile and a nod, picking up the files to inspect them. It was basic stuff, and at first glance appeared to be in order.

“Of course, sir.”

“Agent McLean, you can call me Hotch like everyone else.” She looked up again to see a pleasant smile on his face. It made his eyes crinkle at the corners just a bit, and drew out her own more genuine smile. 

“In that case, feel free to call me Alex.” He gave a nod before leaving her to her task. The files were perfect, and it only took a little of her time to go through them. She finished her day right on time, taking the elevator down with Reid and Prentiss, who seemed to be in some sort of debate. Alex listened with a smile. She was only home long enough to shower and dress for a night out before having to leave again. The bar was easy enough to find, and her group even more so. The three women sat at a table, sharing drinks and a laugh. She approached hesitantly, giving a wave when all eyes turned to her.

“You made it!” Prentiss beamed at her and waved a waiter over, making room at the table where they sat. Alex gave a smile, giving her drink order quickly before turning back to the girls. They all seemed a bit impressed, though she couldn’t imagine why.

“What?” JJ and Prentiss shared a look while Garcia leaned closer.

“Bourbon? Little hard don’t you think?” Alex shook her head with a blush. 

“No, I’ll be fine. One or two won’t kill me.” They all nodded and sipped their drinks. The night devolved into small talk and turning down guys who came to their table, and Alex felt like a real part of the team.


	3. Chapter 3

Her time with the team made Alex more comfortable and each passing mission brought her closer to all of them. It only took a month for her to realize she found Hotch attractive, and a day to decide to try and avoid him when necessary. It was working so far, and so she felt she could probably keep it up. The bosses had been nice enough to give them all Valentine’s off; that led to Alex drinking alone in a bar and trying not to make eye contact with the skeevy guy at the end of the bar who’d been staring at her for an hour. She didn’t know what she’d expected, going out tonight of all nights, but it felt nice just to be somewhere that wasn’t home, the office, or a crime scene. When someone took the seat next to her, she didn’t even bother to look at them, sipping her third bourbon of the night and watching whatever game was on the TV tonight.

“Alex?” Her head turned quickly to take in the one man she definitely didn’t want to see on Valentine’s. Hotch sat there with an amused expression, dress shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows and tie long gone.

“Hotch…what are you doing here?” He arched a brow, though the amused look never left his face. Before answering, he waved the bartender over, ordering his own whiskey. She finished her glass and ordered another, needing more than a buzz to get through whatever embarrassment she was going to endure in front of her boss.

“I was just grabbing a night out. Unfortunately, I don’t get many of them.” The drinks arrived, and she took a somewhat larger sip than normal. He sipped his as well. “What brings you here? Meeting someone?” She snorted, noting too late that the alcohol was clearly already kicking in.

“What gave you that idea?” Hotch turned to face her fully, drink in hand. Though she knew he was just going to profile her, it somehow felt more intimate.

“Well, for starters, you’ve taken the time to curl your hair and do your make up. The necklace around your throat is eye catching, but not gaudy. Your dress,” here he hesitated, taking a larger sip of his drink as though bracing himself, “your dress is form fitting, and the lace could be considered flirtatious.” That had been her exact thought when she bought the dress. A combination of lace and body con material, it sat around mid-thigh in a deep red color. It was one of her favorites; it matched her hair and eyes perfectly.

“I suppose you aren’t wrong.” She finished her drink, her pleasing buzz quickly gaining on her. Deciding it was time to slow down, she waved the bartender off. Hotch appeared to be on his second whiskey already. “And what about you? Surely you’ve got a hot date waiting.” There was a snort from him this time, and it was nice to know she wasn’t alone in this. He downed half his drink as he shook his head.

“My son is with his mom tonight, so I’m just enjoying my free time.” Her eyes widened just a bit at this new piece of information, and he seemed to read her surprise on her face. “Yeah, I know. I don’t seem like the dad type, do I?” He gave a laugh and she joined in. They spent a good amount of time getting to know each other over drinks. Hotch offered to share a cab, which Alex had accepted with drunken giggles, and they’d left around midnight.


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing Alex thought upon entering Hotch’s home was that it was surprisingly well-organized for a single dad. The second was how dominating he could be. Without warning, he had her back against the wall, kissing her thoroughly as his hands roamed over her sides. Her fingers fumbled as she attempted to unbutton his shirt, and she found herself cursing at the number of drinks she’d chosen to consume. Taking her by the hips, he turned them and walked her towards the bedroom, only breaking the kiss to drop his lips to her throat. His hands found their way under the hem to her dress easily. Everything after they hit the bed was a blur.

It was nearly three in the morning when she woke back up, stretching in an unfamiliar bed. Her hand brushed someone next to her, and she did her best to hold back a groan. Valentine’s one night stands were…clichéd, to say the least. Her stomach plummeted as she looked next to her to see Hotch sound asleep. With a red face, Alex climbed out of bed as quietly as she could manage, scooping up her clothes and dressing as she walked to the door. She carried her shoes until she reached ground level and hailed a cab, cursing quietly to herself over her stupidity. She had only a few hours before she had to be back into work, but already she was deciding to head in early.

Flicking on the lights as she entered the offices, she was happy to see no one else had arrived yet. A quick check revealed she’d beaten Garcia, though that wasn’t as surprising. With coffee in hand, Alex settled at her desk and began going through paperwork, finishing her own case files and getting the new ones sorted out. Time passed quickly, and soon the bullpen was bustling with the team members. 

“Hey darling.” Morgan sat on the edge of her rapidly clearing desk, setting another coffee near her empty cup. She gave him a grateful smile, sipping the liquid.

“Morning.”

“Late night?” Her heart picked up, even as she worked to keep her features even. Something must have given her away, because his smile faded just a bit. She quickly dropped her gaze back to her work. “What’s wrong? You okay?” She waved him off, but he was persistent. “If you need to talk about something, you know I’m here.” She looked up again and gave a smile, trying to come up with a decent way to get him off of this.

“Agent McLean.” Hotch’s voice rang across the bullpen, drawing everyone’s eye. He had his usual stern expression on, which did nothing to make her feel better. “My office.” He disappeared into said room, and she stood with the new casefiles in hand.

“Sorry Morgan. Duty calls.” Though the man didn’t look convinced, he nodded, sliding off her desk and heading for his own. With a deep breath, she made her way into Hotch’s office, standing awkwardly just inside the door.

“Shut the door, please.” Slowly, she did as he asked, before moving to stand in front of his desk. His gaze followed her every move and made her all the more nervous. “I was hoping we could talk.” Steeling herself, Alex decided to make a preemptive strike.

“I have the new casefiles, sir.” If possible, his frown deepened as she set the files in the middle of his desk. “They’ve been sorted by severity and most recent cases.” His hand caught her own as she tried to pull away, and it drew heat to her face. 

“Alex, I would think it would be obvious that I don’t mean to talk about upcoming cases.” With another deep breath to strengthen her reserve, she met his gaze, forcing her features to remain passive.

“No, I can’t say it is obvious, sir.” Pulling her hand away, she spun on her heel and left, grateful that she’d managed to keep as calm as possible through it all. As she snagged her bag from her desk, she decided a real breakfast was in order.


	5. Chapter 5

Throughout the week, when they weren’t advising on cases across the country, Hotch was attempting to get Alex alone to chat. If the rest of the team noticed the awkwardness between them, they kept it to themselves. The only plus side was her productivity had gone way up, and she found herself at work with more free time than she honestly would have liked. This was just such a time, though the visitor to her desk was far more welcome.

“Hey, come with me.” It was abrupt, but not unlike Garcia, as the woman took Alex’s hand and pulled her away. The team watched them, though they didn’t seem all that surprised, and Alex had to wonder if Garcia had done this with all of them before. Surely with Morgan; it was clear they were a couple, and a cute one at that. As Garcia shut the door to her office, Alex began to wonder what her friend wanted. “What’s going on with you and Hotch?” 

“What?” Alex was grateful no one else was here, as she was unable to stop the crimson tinge spread across her cheeks. Garcia gave her a knowing look, and Alex sighed. It would be nice to tell someone about it, though it was likely she’d be telling two people. Taking a seat in a chair, Alex waited for Garcia to sit before beginning. “Alright, you and Morgan win.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I slept with Hotch.”

“You what?!” Garcia’s screech was not unexpected, just a bit loud, and Alex was shushing her before the words had finished leaving her mouth. The blonde’s eyes were wide with shock. “When? Why?”

“Garcia, calm down. It was a drunken one night stand on Valentine’s.” For a moment, Alex thought she saw pity in the other woman’s gaze, and bristled. “Hey, it’s not like I had to beg him. He found me at a local bar, and drinks led to sharing a cab, led to…” She trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud again. Garcia simply gave a knowing look and a nod.

“That makes sense.” Alex raised a brow. “So, what are you going to do about it?” 

“I’ve been doing it. Surely Morgan’s told you about everything happening in the bullpen?” Garcia nodded.

“Of course, but you can’t avoid him like that forever. He’s your boss, for God’s sake.” Alex sat back further in the chair, leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling. While a part of her was happy to finally talk this over with someone, it also meant she had to face a truth she’d already known deep down.

“Don’t remind me. Not even here six months, and I’ve already slept with the boss.” Alex groaned, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms. “Garcia, you and Morgan have got to keep this to yourself. If it gets out…”

“Your secret is safe with us, promise.” Alex could hear the sincerity in her friend’s voice, and it gave her cause to relax just a bit. It was nice to have someone to vent about this to in the office; any of her friends outside the team would likely judge the shit out of her. “So…” Alex pulled her hands from her eyes, looking at Garcia curiously. “What was it like?” Just like that, the blush was back, and Alex gave a nervous laugh.

“I’m not going to tell you about sleeping with Hotch.” Garcia gave her best puppy pout, the one that usually led to Alex going to get her coffee and doughnuts from her favorite café down the street.

“Oh, come on! I’ll tell you about Morgan.” There was a look shared between them before they burst out laughing, knowing the other likely didn’t actually want to know. “Alright, fair point.”

“Excuse me, Garcia, but I need Agent McLean.” Almost as if their conversation had conjured him, Hotch appeared at the door, and Alex was left to wonder just how much he’d heard. “We have a case.” Any joy left was gone as fear replaced it, knowing they were all flying out after a serial killer. With a pat to her friend’s shoulder, Alex left, brushing past the senior officer in her hurry to get to her go bag. She was the last to board the plane, and ended up sitting with Morgan again. If he knew about her discussion with Garcia, he didn’t show it. Instead, they had more pressing things to worry about: catching a deranged killer before he struck again.


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as the team hit the ground, they moved off into teams to cover ground. Hotch, Alex, and JJ left to talk to the local police while the rest of them went to see the crime scenes. Hotch took the time to discuss things with the lead investigator while JJ and Alex took the boxes of evidence to a communal area and began setting up. Alex asked a passing officer for a white board or two, and the man was quick to return with what they needed. The case involved an unsub who was kidnapping his victims and apparently making them shoot themselves. They were held for long periods of time, however, though no time period was ever exactly the same. It seemed erratic, and the last one had been two days ago, which means they may already be hunting. Alex pulled her hair back into a ponytail as she studied the evidence.

“What do you have?” Hotch came up next to her, studying the evidence with her. Alex turned back to one particular photograph of a victim.

“He’s erratic. No timeline, no real pattern in the victims. Different ages, races, genders.” The woman she was looking at now was face up, eyes blank as she sprawled in the dirt. “No symbolism when they’re dumped, either.”

“Is there anything consistent?” Hotch’s voice sounded particularly strained, and she nodded, passing him one of the files.

“They all shot themselves.” He flicked through the file as she continued. “The wounds show clear hesitation, and there’s GSR on their hands. I haven’t figured out how he’s doing it yet.” Hotch nodded, turning away as she heard the others arrive. They each shared what they had figured out, but it brought them no closer to figuring out a pattern. It was easy to tell that whoever they were dealing with was broken in a way that made them all nervous. They gathered the officers, letting them know what little they had, and JJ held a press conference warning people to stay off the streets at night, where they would be most easily taken. The team felt helpless, but Alex hated it the most. They were supposed to be the best, but one unhinged man was going to get the best of them. She had an awful feeling that someone would be taken again soon, and worked even harder to find the pattern.

Alex was the last to leave the precinct that night, hailing a cab to get to the hotel. Morgan and Hotch had both offered to stay behind with her while she did her work, but she’d turned them both down. As soon as she gave the address to the driver, he closed the divider, beginning to drive. Almost instantly, she began to feel woozy, and shook it off as too much stress from the first day on the case. That was her last thought before she passed out in the backseat. The cab turned to head out of town, with Alex captive in the backseat.


	7. Chapter 7

The headache pounding at her skull was an awful way for Alex to wake up, and she gave a groan. Finding her hands tied was a whole new pain for her as the ropes cut into her wrists. She worked to open her eyes, looking around what appeared to be a small room. There was a camera trained on her, though the recording light was off, and a light in each corner of the room. In the dim glow, she could make out a bed nearby, as well as what looked like a small kitchenette. The whole room was cold, though there was a woodstove nearby. As she contemplated how to get out, a man entered, arms full of wood and hood pulled low. Without a word, he moved to open the woodstove, taking his time to get a fire going. The warmth felt great, and cleared her head just a bit.

“Where am I?” He stood, turning and backhanding her hard. Stars danced in her vision, leaving her to regain her internal balance. He moved to take off his jacket, the hood falling away to reveal sandy hair. He was scruffy, with a sharp jaw and a straight nose. She focused on committing his face to memory, knowing she would need it if she escaped. No, not if, she told herself, but when. There was no way she was going to die here in this shit shed. She looked at him again, her voice hoarse. “I asked you a question.” Another hit, though this time he got down in her face.

“You’re not in charge here, agent.” He sneered the title at her before moving to the camera. He seemed to be fiddling with the settings before crossing to a dark part of the room. Flicking a lamp on, he revealed a highly advanced computer set up, causing her stomach to drop. This was too good for a man who was deranged; he knew exactly what he was doing, likely planned everything. He’d purposely kept his victims diverse, though it still only half explained the timeline. “Say hello, miss.” She was shaken from her thoughts by his voice, looking up to see the red light on. He had a revolver in hand, and moved to untie the rope on her right hand. She frowned, trying to let whoever was watching know that she was fine. Given that this was the first she’d heard of the unsub streaming anything, it was a good bet he was streaming to her team. He cuffed her as he stood, glaring at her. “I said, say hello.”

“Hi.” It was curt, and she turned to glare at him. He shook his head, taking the revolver and loading a single bullet. Her heart dropped as he spun the barrel and handed it to her.

“You have thirty seconds to pull the trigger, or I do it myself.” Russian roulette. Her odds were good that she could survive; it also meant if she shot at him, he could survive too. As if reading her thoughts, he pulled her own Glock from his waistband, levelling it at her chest. “No funny business.” He hit the button on a stop watch, and she took a deep breath before aiming the gun at herself and pulling the trigger. Despite trying to assure herself, the relief she felt as she heard the click of the empty chamber. She glared up at him, and he snatched the gun from her hands. Turning to the camera, he smirked. “One down.” Pressing a button, he turned the camera off, doing the same with the light over the technology. After retying her arm in place, he shut off all the lights and went to bed, leaving her in the darkness. In spite of the pain, she began to move her left arm, determined to get herself loose if it killed her.

 

As the team watched the video feed cut off, the tension, anger, and fear in the air was palpable. No one was more upset than Hotch, though he buried it carefully so he could focus. If they were going to get a stream every day, then it was only a matter of time before Alex was able to give them something to find her. /he only hoped she gave it before she was killed.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, she was shocked awake as the unsub doused her in cold water, causing her to splutter as she squirmed against her restraints. He stepped away and set the bucket outside, coming back. Apparently, she wasn’t awake enough for him, as he proceeded to smack her around for a bit. The cold water made the hits somehow worse, and when he finally stopped she wanted to cry with pain and relief. Instead, she licked at the split in her lip, raising her gaze to his. 

“We’ll send your precious friends another episode tonight. Try to give a better performance, yeah?” He turned, leaving the cabin just like that, and she slumped against her bindings. With a resigned sigh, she continued to work on the rope around her left arm, ignoring the pain. It would be worth it when she got out and brought him in.

Hotch and the team hadn’t slept that night, working on the case and having Garcia set up a trace over the course of the night. Morgan pulled Hotch out of the room, waiting to make sure no one was listening before speaking in a low voice.

“Hotch, you okay?” Despite his characteristic frown, Hotch knew his distress was clear. Even if Alex didn’t seem to want to look at him, he wouldn’t give up trying to bring her home. He shook his head, and Morgan sighed. “I know what happened between you two.” That was a shock to Hotch, though it shouldn’t have been; if anyone on the team could pry secrets from them all, it was Morgan and Garcia. “Just, don’t let whatever feelings you have cloud your mind. She needs us sharp.”

“I know.” His voice was hoarse from lack of speaking through the hours, and the endless coffee he’d practically been mainlining. With a deep breath, he gave Morgan a nod and a quiet thank you before going back in with the rest of the team. They’d find her, because they had to. As he looked around, Hotch could see the same determination in each of their faces that he felt.

Alex spent the day alone, slowly working at her left arm’s ropes and taking in as much as she could. In spite of the pain in her face, she managed to sort out different bird calls outside the windows. She’d already established she must be in a forest, a decent distance from the town proper. She hadn’t heard any engine or tires, so the cab he drove must be elsewhere. Being this far from town would make escaping difficult, and likely he’d gotten rid of her cell phone. It didn’t bode well for when she escaped, but at this rate, she’d have plenty of time to think it over. She halted her movement at the sound of boots on the porch, looking up in time to see the man walk in. He had what appeared to be groceries, though she was fairly sure it wasn’t for her. He didn’t say anything as he began putting away what looked like endless cans of food, and it occurred to her that he was planning to drag this out for some time.

“Here.” He approached her with a glass of water and a slice of bread, holding the food in front of her mouth. Alex wasn’t about to blindly eat whatever he put in front of her, no matter how good it looked or how empty her stomach was. He huffed, taking a bite himself before offering it again. “It’s no fun if you die before we finish our game.” Fun. Another clue into his mind. She stored it away as she took a hesitant bite. It wasn’t the best, but it would keep her going for now. He also made her drink the glass of water, all the while mumbling about the next episode. Judging by the fading light from outside and his increased excitement, she figured it must be soon. Sure enough, he was setting up his work area within minutes, and she quickly tried to figure out what clue she could give her team. Recording light on, smirk in place, gun ready. “Say hello, agent.”

“Hi.” She kept this short as well, knowing better than to ignore the request. She kept her gaze on him, knowing this would have to be deliberate. He moved closer with the camera, and her frown increased. He untied her right arm again and handed her the primed weapon, grinning maniacally. “Tell me, do you have a favorite bird?” His smile faltered, and confusion flashed in his gaze. “I’m just wondering. You seem like the type to have a favorite bird.” He was angry now, and backhanded her. She took a moment to adjust and clear her spinning head, glancing up through her lashes into the camera. “Mine’s the hermit thrush. Such a pretty bird.” He hit her again.

“Shut up and pull the trigger!” He was furious, and she decided this would be the best time to do as asked. With a deep breath, she held the gun to her temple and pulled the trigger, satisfied to hear the click. He shut down production quickly, hitting her a few more times for good measure, before retying her hand and going to bed. Alex could only hope the others had gotten her message.


	9. Chapter 9

Before the video had even ended, the team was on the move. Reid was going over what he knew about Hermit Thrushes, while Hotch called Garcia to find out if she had a trace. In the end, the two came to the same conclusion; she was being kept somewhere in the deep woods, which gave them less ground to cover. Hotch held himself back from ordering a manhunt, knowing that going in too soon would result in Alex’s death. Instead, he had Garcia begin to check residences that fit the criteria. They would have one shot at getting her out, and Hotch wasn’t going to waste it. He sent Morgan and Emily to question the police about who fit their new profile, and JJ went to check hard copy records for old cabins. With any luck, they could find her before the next recording.

The next morning for Alex followed closely to the first, though she avoided a beating this time. As the swelling increased, it was getting harder to open her eyes all the way, but it didn’t stop her from thinking of ways to get out again. The rope on her left arm had become increasingly loose, and she was sure if he left her alone today she could get free. True to form, he left for a majority of the daylight hours, and she worked at the bond on her left arm frantically now. The bird she’d mentioned the night before was fairly unique and only lived in a handful of places, mostly dense forests. She was pulled from her thoughts when she found her left hand free, looking at the limb in shock for a few moments before moving to get the other ties off. She ignored the chafing and redness of her skin, knowing she would have to worry about it later. Once freed, Alex made her way to the computer set up, getting the uplink up as quickly as possible and angling the camera towards the door. 

“Hotch! The video is back up!” Everyone gathered around the screen Garcia had set up for them. Alex’s face appeared, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief as it became apparent she was alone. She moved around the cabin with halting steps, and the sight of her injuries made Hotch sick to his stomach. 

“Alright guys, I’m gonna assume you can hear me.” Alex’s voice was hoarse, and the sound quality iffy, but it was clear she was focused in. “I can’t tell you exactly where I am, but it’s a cabin. Two or three rooms, small windows, old.” Hotch nodded to Garcia, who was already cross-referencing. They watched as she tested a few of the windows, finding them all sealed shut. “One point of entry. Can’t ever hear the car, so he keeps it a good distance from the cabin. It’s a cab.” They could hear Garcia’s fingers flying over the keyboard as fast as she could go for the information. “And damn, do I really wish I could hear you guys. Don’t even know if you’re actually watching.” She was beginning to sound defeated and tired, though she never stopped looking around.

Alex knew they were likely at least recording the video, but if they were out of the office to investigate, she may be talking to recording software. She shook her head, refusing to give up just yet, but froze when she heard boots on the porch. As quietly as she could manage, she grabbed a piece of wood and slid behind the door just as it opened. The unsub made it in a few steps before halting, gaze trained on the empty chair. As he turned to look around, she nailed him in the face with the wood, ducking around his stunned form and running outside.

Hotch and the team had gotten the address from Garcia and were speeding towards the location, grateful it wasn’t so far for them to drive. Garcia had provided them with a wireless link to the video, and the apprehension in the cabin increased as they watched Alex fight. The unsub dragged her back into the cabin, clearly trying to subdue her as she thrashed and kicked at him. Hotch could only listen as he floored it, pushing the SUV to bring him closer to Alex faster. Each grunt from her made his heart stop momentarily, but hearing her fight also gave him hope. A strange sound and a curse from Morgan nearly had Hotch looking away from the road.

“They knocked the camera over. We can’t see anything anymore.” Morgan sounded as angry and impatient as Hotch felt. The sounds of struggle continued, and Alex gave a cry. Not long after, a gunshot was heard, then silence.


	10. Chapter 10

Hotch and the team arrived with a roar of the engine and a squeal of tires, most already jumping out before the SUV had fully stopped. Leaving it running, the team drew their weapons and took up positions near the door. It was silent inside now and the lack of noise made Hotch's skin crawl. With a silent count of three, they burst in, yelling their identification and orders to drop a weapon. It took a few moments to realize Alex was sitting in the chair, staring at them all and their guns warily, the unsub lying nearby. Morgan and Prentiss moved to cover the unsub while Hotch and Reid moved to check on Alex. 

“Alex, are you alright?” Hotch took her face in his hands gently, looking her over carefully. JJ was calling in the incident, and in spite of his every instinct telling him to take her away, Hotch knew Alex would need to stay until EMT's arrived. It didn't take the ambulances long, thankfully, and soon they had her sitting in the back of an ambulance wrapped in a blanket. Hotch had refused to leave her side through the ordeal, though Reid and Morgan had gone back to the office to update everyone else and JJ was off speaking with the media. Alex had stayed silent, and the urge to take her home to care for her had only grown in Hotch. As soon as the two of them were given a moment alone, he turned to her. “Hey, if you'd like, you can stay with me tonight.”

“I just...I just want to go home.” Alex knew her voice was rough and she may have to speak louder, but he seemed to hear her. Hotch gave a nod, and she was grateful when the EMT's cleared her to go home and she was led to the SUV. Covered in bruises, cuts, and bandages, she shuffled into her home with minor assistance from Hotch, who hovered for only a bit before sensing her need for space and heading home. It took an hour for Alex to finally feel as though her ordeal was over, and she broke down.

 

A full two weeks of recovery later, Alex walked into the BAU offices almost hesitantly, looking around. No one else seemed to be around yet, and she was grateful they wouldn't all swarm her at once. Arriving at her desk, she found a massive collection of gifts, from bears to candy to books. Right in the center was a massive vase of roses, several dozen at least, with a red bow. Tearing up a bit, she sniffed them gently before shifting them to one side to get started on her work. Each team member stopped at your desk when they arrived, giving hugs and welcoming her back. Hotch headed straight to his office, looking at her with an unreadable expression as he passed. When Morgan showed up, Alex gave him an extra tight hug.

“What's the occasion, baby girl?” He smiled down at her as she pulled away.

“It's a thanks, for the flowers.” His confused look had her own frown forming and as she opened her mouth to ask him if he had sent them, her name rang out across the room. Hotch stood in front of his office and gestured for her to enter, her stomach doing a flip as she gathered the newest case files JJ had given her. She sat down immediately upon entering, not looking up from the desk in front of her as she heard the door close and Hotch took his seat. It was silent for a few moments.

“Alex... I'm glad to see you're better.” She chanced a glance up, caught off guard by the soft look on his face. Her tight grip on the folders loosened just a bit.

“Thank you.” He nodded, straightening some papers on his desk. “I mean, for everything. I can't imagine I would have made it out without you and the team.” He looked back up, giving a smile at her words even as she saw a flash of pain in his gaze. It occurred to her then, he cared about her; more than just as a team member. A part of her seemed to melt with that realization and she set the files aside, leaning towards him. “Aaron, I'm sorry for how I've been acting lately. It's...childish.”

“I understand your hesitation. It may appear...badly to the brass if I had acted on my feelings.” His gaze dropped and she leaned a bit closer, placing her hand on his jaw.

“We can figure it out, I'm sure.” She waited until he brought his gaze back to hers to give a small smile. “That is, if you still want to.”

“Yes.” His reply was instant, a hope shining in his eyes she hadn't seen before. She could swear her heart stopped and suddenly he was kissing her, both leaning over the desk as his hand found the back of her head, holding her close. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest, and she decided right then this wouldn't be their last kiss. As they pulled apart, breathless, she met his gaze. There was a determination in his that fed the hope in her chest. They would be able to make it.


End file.
